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Neuropsycholinguistic Theory (Language Production Deficit)

"Dyssynchrony between 2 components of language production" (Perkins, Kent, Curlee 1991)

Paralingustic Component

Linguistic

Component

Both components must be integrated for efficient speech production

Right-hemisphere dominated process that effects social-emotional elements of speech

Left-hemisphere dominated function that executes content and structure of language

Semantics, syntax, phonology

Vocal tone & prosody

Elements that must be present to be considered a stutter

Speaker has to feel a "loss of control"

Speaker has to feel a time pressure (internal or external)

Insufficient evidence to support claim that these functions are primitive linguistic system (Christensen 1992)

Anatomical evidence suggests that abundant cortical tissue & longer Sylvian fissure may be an explanation (Yeni-Komshian & Benson 1978)

Evidence suggests that prosody is influenced by both the right & left hemispheres (Merewether & Alpert, 1990)